Top Shelf: Islanders Daily 11/6/2013

Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Last night, the New York Islanders took on an explosive Washington Capitals team in the Verizon Center for their 15th game of the 2013-14 season.

Last night’s game can be easily described as an explosion (though in this case, we’re referring to the poor quality of the Islanders’ play). The defense continues to under-perform as the Islanders lose suffer their 6th regulation loss of the young season.

The Islanders’ special teams, which have been mostly solid this year, were absent last night. The Capitals scored four times on five power play opportunities, as the Islanders Power Play failed to score on multiple opportunities.

While many did scrutinize goaltender Evgeni Nabokov for the six goals scored last night, most of the blame can’t fall on his shoulders. When a team’s defense simply doesn’t show up and you’re left to dry, pucks are going to find their way to the back of the net.

If there was one positive to take out of the game, it was the play of Kyle Okposo, who had a goal and an assist in last night’s loss. He played with a certain intensity that fans of this team have been clamoring to see after we first saw it last year during the Islanders’ playoff push.

So with last night’s debacle behind us, the Islanders move forward to Thursday, where they’ll find themselves in Raleigh to play the Carolina Hurricanes. One would expect for a increase in the quality of play, and here’s hoping we see a better performance come Thursday.

-Peter (@pjmcentee)

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Don’t Expect Major Changes in the Islanders’ Defense (Islanders Op-Timism)

Monthly NHL Power Rankings (Eyes on Isles)

Islanders Twitter: A (Social) Media Experiment (Eyes on Isles)

Around the NHL

• Ottawa Senators 4, Columbus Blue Jackets 1
• Dallas Stars 3, Boston Bruins 2 (SO)
• Washington Capitals 6, New York Islanders 2
• Carolina Hurricanes 2, Philadelphia Flyers 1 (OT)
• Edmonton Oilers 4, Florida Panthers 3 (OT)
• Minnesota Wild 5, Calgary Flames 1
• St. Louis Blues 3, Montreal Canadiens 2 (SO)
• Buffalo Sabres 5, San Jose Sharks 4 (SO)
• Phoenix Coyotes 3, Vancouver Canucks 2 (SO)

Across the Sound

The Bridgeport Sound Tigers‘ last game was this past Saturday, a 4-3 shootout win against the Norfolk Admirals. Mike Halmo lit the lamp twice, while off-season acquisition Justin Johnson scored his first goal as a Sound Tiger.

Transactions also took place this week for the Sound Tigers, as former Islander Jon Sim (yes, that Jon Sim) was signed to a twenty five day Professional Tryout Contract. Sim has yet to play a game in a Sound Tigers uniform, but should the veteran experience the young guns in Bridgeport are currently lacking.

As always, thanks for being an active reader here at Eyes on Isles. With the season only just beginning, there will be plenty of material for you right here at your number one stop for Islanders information, opinion, and analysis.